Commission hears of cash for CFMEU

Three company bosses have detailed claims of cash bribes to a Canberra construction union official in exchange for securing work.

The allegations have been made on day one of royal commission hearings in the nation's capital, which the ACT branch of the CFMEU boycotted in protest over what it saw as a denial of procedural fairness.

First witness Elias Taleb, the owner of a formworking company, told counsel-assisting Jeremy Stoljar how he gave Fihi Kivalu a total of $135,000 during 2012 and 2013 to secure jobs that would have otherwise gone to different tenderers.

He also paid the membership dues of his workers, fearing if he didn't he would be kicked off projects.

Some of his employees didn't want anything to do with the union, Mr Taleb said, explaining how at times he was made to sign their membership forms himself.

For one residential unit project in the suburb of Yarralumla, he was made to pay $50,000 in cash instalments.

When asked by Mr Stoljar if he knew what happened to the money that he gave to the union, Mr Taleb said "no".